Uiltje de Jong (1867-1950)

In some parts of The Netherlands some strange names were given to children. The main character of this story, for example, is Uiltje de Jong. His given name can be translated as “little owl”. He was born on 5 May 1867. His parents, Jan de Jong and Elizabeth Jansma (1835-) were living in Oudehorne, east of Heerenveen in Frisia. His grandparents are Jan de Jong, Annigjen Visser, Jan Jansma and Janke Westerterp. Janke’s father was named Uiltje, too. On 29 June 1888 in Schoterland Janke Westerterp died at the age of 90.

At the age of 39, Uiltje de Jong was married to 26-year-old Doetje Zuidersma on 24 May 1906 in Schoterland in Frisia. She was born on 4 October 1879 in Aengwirden, north of Heerenveen. Her parents are Meint Zuidersma and Antje de Jong. Amongst Doetje’s many siblings were clergyman Klaas Zuidersma (1875-1955) and carpenter Gijsbert Zuidersma (1882-1933).

Uiltje and Doetje had the following children:

1. Elisabeth was born on 7 May 1908 in Schoterland;
2. Meint was born on 1 August 1909 in Schoterland;
3. Jan.

Nieuwsblad van Friesland, Hepkema's courant, 18-7-1919

At the age of 39, Doetje Zuidersma died in July 1919 in Duurswoude, southeast of Drachten in Frisia. Her widower, Uiltje de Jong, emigrated to Canada with his sons. His daughter Eliabeth had married Hugo Koomans and was living in Hoogeveen in Drenthe in The Netherlands, and had at least two sons.
Uiltje de Jong died, aged 87, on March 12, 1954, in Sterling, Ontario, Canada, and was buried there on the 15th.

Provinciale Drentsche en Asser courant, 24-3-1954

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl, GeneoFun.on.ca, Cemetery.CanadaGenWeb.org.